This course examines the history and development of social welfare policy through the present with a significant focus on the contemporary social welfare policies and issues. As students examine contemporary policy the course moves from an historic analysis toward an examination of the methods of analysis of: policies, proposals and alternatives. Students will be expected to address a contemporary social problem and analyze the range of social policies and policy proposals in order to develop a position paper and presentation. Students will learn how to analyze policy from a values perspective with a focus on social and economic justice. There will be an emphasis on populations-at-risk, including ethnically and culturally diverse populations, the elderly and the physically challenged.